The longest fresh water lake in the world, the 3 million year old Lake Tanganyika borders four countries in total including Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi and of course, Tanzania. Richard Burton and John Speke first introduced the Western World to this stunning lake in 1858 when the explorers happened across it while in search for the source of the Nile River. It is home to a great host of fishing communities who live off the huge numbers of tiny local plankton-eating fish called dagaa, as well as kapenta and Nile perch.

Due to its location within the Great Rift Valley, it has a substantial depth of over 1,400 metres and is home to a remarkably ancient species of creature called the African Lungfish. The lush eco-systems of the Mahale Mountains National Park and Gombe Stream National Park border the lake and provide a rich habitat for a variety of wildlife including the timid bushbuck and surprisingly large bush pigs which can be found skirting the edges of the lake. Huge number of bird species, including the iconic fish eagle whose piercing call sounds across the lake in tune to the grunts of the hippos. This lake is truly a marked beauty and definitely worth a few nights on your visit to Tanzania.

Probably the most well known fact about this lake is that it was the original location of Jane Goodall’s conquest for chimpanzee conservation. When she arrived in 1960 and began studying these marvellous creatures, she began a worldwide recognition for the importance of these primates and effectively changed the way we think about them and, ultimately, the human race. Hand in hand with conservation, the Jane Goodall Institute provides education and the promotion of sustainable livelihoods in local communities. This work has helped a great number of forest-dwelling chimpanzees in the area thrive and has also created a rare and wonderful experience to visitors to the lake.